Thursday, February 26, 2009

Certifiction and Setting up in-store events

What a long, great trip! I met so many fabulous people this weekend and had a great time. Somewhere between Mardi Gras and northern Florida I picked up a cold, which was not helped by flying, so I have been a little behind in my posting. However, I have some class info to go over today before I post a tutorial tomorrow.

Certification, Spring 09First of all, we had some technical difficulties on the applications I had all ready to go before I left town, so I apologize for everyone trying to get into April and May classes. Those will be going out as soon as I can fix the auto applications. Please do not bug us for applications if you have already asked to be on a mailing list or signed up through our sidebar. The applications are on the way, trust me.

New Certification Location- Winnepeg, Manitoba, CanadaSherrie Siemens has just arranged a new Canadian location for Winnepeg, June 6th. I will be doing a mailing next week for that class, so if you are in Central Canada or the Northern part of Minnesota or North Dakota this is a great opportunity for you. Again, you can sign up via the registration form on my sidebar.

Certi-fictionWe have also had some questions arise about what a certification class will help you with and why it is open first to Store Owners, Teachers, and Design Team Members. Here in a nutshell are some ideas of what to do after you take a Copic Certification class in papercrafting.

After you are Certified...Once you are Copic Certified you get a lovely little certificate to hang on your wall and you can say you're certified on your blog. Now you need to practice, practice, practice. What else do you get from attending the class?

What you Can do:• Listed on our online Instructor list- this is located on the Copic Website under Instructors. It is currently being updated, so if your name is not on the list and you took a class after November, don't worry. Soon you can expect it to be updated within 2-3 weeks after each certification class, tough there are a lot of certification classes taking place this spring so please be patient.

• Offer in-store demos- ask your local stamp store if they would like you to do a demo or make-n-take. You need to provide all your own product supplies and make 'n take parts, though we are happy to offer literature and support materials. Please allow 2-3 weeks shipping if you request literature.

• Teach a papercrafting class- Take the techniques you learn and turn them into a workshop. You can print off any posts from this blog as instructional material, though you need to credit where the info came from. Again, if you need literature, just let us know with adavace warning and we'll be happy to help.

If you are teaching a class and you will need markers please remember: Copic markers are in very high-demand and you will want to place your order at least 60 days (preferrably 90 days if the colors are very specific) before your workshop especially if you order direct through Copic. Don't set up a class before you have product arranged- this will just make people unhappy. Ditto for stores trying to set up a Copic Club. Please have product before you hype an event.

• Peace of mind- You'll know that you heard information about Copics straight from our official representatives. If you ever have a question or problem just bug one of us and we either find the answer or take it straight to the manufacturer in Japan.

• Blog - Go ahead and share anything you learned in the class on your blog. Just cite where you learned the technique from if it is unusual or if others might have questions. If you have a blog and are certified and need the logo send me an e-mail with the city you were certified in and I will be happy to send that to you.

• Get asked by other people to teach - Occasionally we have a need for a demo or workshop across the country. We may contact you or another store might contact you. For this reason, be sure that your blog shows good, high-quality use of Copic products so that if someone comes looking for your services they'll know what kinds of things you make.

• Use the status to get on design teams - I know that it means a lot to some design teams if one of their candidates is Copic Certified, however, you still need to prove though high-quality work that you know what you learned and to get them to pick you.

What you can't do:• Get Frustrated. If you're certified you still need to practice, it won't magically work the first time. Those of you who have taken the class know what I mean. Some of the blending techniques are tricky and you might not have mastered them during the class. Just keep practicing and you will improve. This is why you can re-take the class. We know you won't get it all the first time.

• Certify others. Sorry, to be able to certify others is a long, involved process and we are NOT looking for new instructors at this time. You can teach local classes but nott official Copic Certification classes.

As you can see, Certification is geared for people who plan on going and sharing what they have learned with others via store, classes, or online through their blog. We want everyone to be able to have access to high-quality Copic classes, even if they can't attend a certification themselves. If anyone takes a class from someone who is certified and has a good experience, please contact us. Likewise, if you have a bad experience please let us know why and how they can improve.

I hope this helps you understand the process a little better. We want everyone to be happy with their product knowledge and we'are always looking for ways to improve our education events. In 2009 and 2010 we hope to visit many more cities and offer classes in places that have not had them before. Have patience! It may take a while to come to your region, but know that we still love you.

11 comments:

I'm listed in the "find an instructor" under WA instead of PA (although the Zip code is correct). How do I get this fixed? Is there a way to add contact info? The link to the Certification form is broken.

I'm so sorry you picked up a cold. My son picked one up too while he was in New Orleans the same time as you. I hope you're feeling better. I learned so much in your class in Pcola, and feel so much better about my Copic ability. Practice, practice, practice. But I'm so much farther ahead than I was last week. Thanks, It was an awesome class!

Hmmm...the cold seems to be gong around! I have one too!!I am practicing, practicing, practicing as you instructed. I have also ordered a bunch more markers! Those blue/greens were just calling my name. Do you have a "blinkie/avatar" that we can put on our blog if we are certified?

:-) that was great info and I totally know what you mean. Although i took your class last October, I didn't feel comfortable enough at that time to put the certified blinkie on my blog so I didn't. And did a quick class this past weekend, so now I'm confident enough to put up the blinkie :-).

About Me

I am the North American Product Director for Copic Markers, working at Imagination International, Inc. I have written 4 books on coloring with Copics in conjunction with Colleen Schaan. I used to design stamps for Our Craft Lounge. The things I post on this blog are my personal opinions or techniques I have come across over the years- I will try to give credit where credit is due. These ramblings do not necessarily reflect the general opinions of Copic Markers/Imagination International Inc.
my direct e-mail is marianne@copicmarker.com

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Copic Glossary

ABS/Airbrush System- Copic Airbrush System. Works with either a compressor or Copic aircans. Uses either Sketch or Copic Markers. 1234TroubleshootingAlcohol Markers- Copic markers are alcohol (ethanol) based dye markers, that are known for being low-odor and giving smooth, vibrant colors. Since they are a dye, they will fade in bright lights, but they are acid free on most surfaces. Anything with alcohol in it will react with these inks. Any Copic marker type is refillable with replaceable tips. They will not cause paper to pill when going over it many times, nor will they dissolve photocopies.

Color Saturation- This is the first digit on a color name. Colors that are 00's, 10's, or 20's will be more vibrant (B05, G16, R29), while colors that are in the 70's, 80's or 90's have more gray added (B95, BG78, G94) and are closer to the neutral/earthy end of the color spectrum. Note: E (Earth) markers don't necessarily follow this rule.

Color Group- A sequential group of colors within one color family with the same first digit (i.e. E30, E31, E33, E34, E35, E37, E39) where numbers ending in 0 are the lightest and 9 is the darkest, also called Natural Blending Group

Copic Certification- These are classes for teachers, store owners, or designers who want to learn techniques and advanced tips on using Copic markers, Airbrushing, etc. for papercrafting. Each class is about 7 hrs, and will be held regionally. Check here for listings of upcoming classes.

Spica Glitter Pens - also called atyou Spica pens. These fun, pigment based pens are filled with micro glass flakes, giving a very subtle, elegant sparkle. Keep stored flat, though if they are giving you troubles, try storing them point down overnite.

Various Ink- Also called Refill Ink or Re-inkers. Each bottle holds 25 cc's of ink. 322 colors available, empty bottle for mixing custom colors also available. Great for making alcohol ink effects, such as Faux Stone or covering large areas. When you see streaking in your work it's time to refill. You can refill directly from your bottle of ink, or you can use a booster needle. Try not to overfill.For refilling dry markers:Ciao- add 1 to 1.5 cc's ink Sketch- 2 cc's Copic 2-3 cc's Wide 3-4 cc's

Using this site for Classes

The content from each post is intended as tutorials and directions as well as useful information. If you would like to use these tutorials in a workshop you are more than welcome to, just give credit to this blog site and other suppliers mentioned in each post.

Thank You!

Marianne

Color Disclaimer

Colors on the screen do not match colors printed in color charts, and neither will match the marker colors in real life. To get a feel of what the colors will look like it's best if you get an actual color swatch.

To request a printed color chart, general catalog, Stamping with Copic Brochure, or Airbrushing with Copic Brochure you can e-mail orders@copicmarker.com (remember, printed charts aren't accurate)

Save a tree, get it digital!For digital copies of the above brochures please look through the Copic Library. Don't see what you need? e-mail me at marianne@copicmarker.com

Check the library also for refilling guides, airbrushing set-ups, and other useful literature.

Click here to purchase your favorite Copic Products

Books by Marianne Walker

These books are stand alone guides for anyone who wants to learn more tricks for coloring with their markers. All images to color are in the back of the book, along with color charts and guides. Each book is printed in English and Español SRP $9.95

Shadows & Shading: A beginner's guide to lighting placementThis book is for teaching you where to accurately put shadows and highlights when coloring with any medium. Includes clear lighting guides to help you plan where to place your shadows & highlights. Distributed by Copic/Imagination International, Inc.